HANDHELD GRIPPING DEVICE
A handheld gripping device provides a user with a point of stability in maneuvering in various indoor situations. In one aspect, the device includes a handle portion, a base from which the handle portion extends, one or more suction elements positioned relative to the base, and a cam driven mechanism coupled with each suction element and with the base. The cam driven mechanism selectively draws the respective suction element towards and away from the base.
This application claims priority to commonly owned U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/897,516, filed Jan. 25, 2007, incorporated by reference herein.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNone.
BACKGROUNDThere has been a need to provide persons with increased stability in performing certain indoor activities, such as stepping into and out of a bathtub or shower unit, or otherwise moving between a seated and a standing position. This is of particular importance in bathrooms where flooring oftentimes presents a smooth surface that becomes quite slippery when wet.
One well known solution is to provide a handle-type device, typically secured to a wall with screws or other fasteners. Handles of these types have drawbacks. For instance, not all surfaces where it is desired to place the handle are well adapted to receive fasteners, such as the side ledge of a bathtub. Cast iron, fiberglass, and certain other materials frequently utilized in bathtub construction oftentimes do not receive fasteners well. In some cases, it can be difficult to drill a hole through the material where the fastener is to extend, or otherwise the material is sufficiently brittle that the integrity of the hole through which the fastener extends significantly degrades over time.
BRIEF SUMMARYVarious embodiments of a repositionable, handheld gripping device disclosed herein provides a user with a point of stability in maneuvering in various indoor situations.
In one aspect, a repositionable, handheld gripping device includes a handle portion, a base from which the handle portion extends, one or more suction elements positioned relative to the base, and a cam driven mechanism coupled with each suction element and with the base. The cam driven mechanism selectively draws the respective suction element towards and away from the base.
In another aspect, a repositionable, handheld gripping device includes a handle portion, a pair of downwardly oriented end supports disposed at opposite sides of the handle, a pair of suction elements, and a pair of cam driven mechanisms. Each cam driven mechanism is coupled with one of the end supports and connected to one of the suction elements, such that movement of the respective cam driven mechanism selectively draws the respective suction element towards and away from one of the end supports.
In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:
A repositionable, handheld gripping device provides a user with a point of stability in maneuvering in various indoor situations. The device employs one or more suction elements that are freely engaged and disengaged by a respective levered cam element, enabling easy repositioning of the gripping device to a desired location. For instance, a user may desire to have the gripping device placed on the horizontal ledge of a bathtub when stepping into and out of the bathtub, so that their hand on the device provides a contact point of stabilization in addition to their feet. As another example, the gripping device could be placed upon smooth, hard vertical surface adjacent to a bathtub or within or adjacent to a shower unit, such as a tile or fiberglass wall. In such a case, the gripping device again enables the user's gripping hand to serve as an additional contact point of stabilization. The gripping device is particularly well suited for use as a lateral stabilization point, as opposed to acting as a true pull or lift handle where the user's hand would place a significant portion of the user's weight on the handle. In any case, the strength of the bond between the device of the present invention and the surface upon which it is placed relates to the adhesion vacuum between the one or more suction elements and the surface being engaged.
Turning to
The end mounted gripping mechanisms 104 each include a cam body 124, a lever 126 extending from the cam body 124, as well as a driving rod 128 pinned on one end with the cam body 124 and connected with the suction cup 116 on an opposite end. In this arrangement, the driving rod 128 extends through the interior region 118 of the end support 108 and through the passageway 122, to locate the cam body 124 within the recessed area 120. Additionally, a compression spring 130 is seated around the driving rod 128 within the end support interior region 118. The compression spring 130 contacts a ceiling 132 of the end support interior region 118 on one axial end, and the suction cup 116 on the opposed axial end of the spring 130, as best seen in
In this disengaged position of the gripping device 100, shown in
Turning now to
Therefore, embodiments of the handheld gripping device of the present invention enable a user to easily reposition a point of stability as need when maneuvering in various indoor situations. Since certain changes may be made in the above invention without departing from the scope hereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Claims
1. A repositionable, handheld gripping device, comprising:
- a handle portion;
- a base from which the handle portion extends;
- one or more suction elements positioned relative to the base; and
- a cam driven mechanism coupled with each suction element and with the base to selectively draw the respective suction element towards and away from the base.
2. A repositionable, handheld gripping device, comprising:
- a handle portion;
- a pair of downwardly oriented end supports disposed at opposite sides of the handle;
- a pair of suction elements; and
- a pair of cam driven mechanisms, each cam driven mechanism coupled with one of the end supports of the pair of end supports and connected to one of the suction elements of the pair of suction elements, whereby movement of one of the cam driven mechanisms selectively draws the respective suction element towards and away from one of the pair of end supports.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 24, 2008
Publication Date: Jul 31, 2008
Applicant: MOMMY'S HELPER, INC. (Wichita, KS)
Inventor: MARTIN PARK (Wichita, KS)
Application Number: 12/018,941
International Classification: A47J 45/00 (20060101);